ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Men's Basketball team hosted new Empire 8 member, SUNY Poly, dropping the home contest to the Wildcats.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: SUNY Poly 79 Hartwick 63

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y.

• Records: SUNY Poly (11-6, 6-2 Empire 8) Hartwick (2-15, 2-6 Empire 8) 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Hartwick looked to bounce back after a Friday night overtime clash with Utica, Xymier Thomas (Binghamton, N.Y.) set the tone early, earning a trip to the free throw line. Thomas connected on both of his free throws to open the contest.

• Poly connected on their first three pointer of the afternoon but Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) drained his first three pointer soon after.

• Gitz picked up the steal on the ensuing possession, leading to a Brian Bonin (Cicero, N.Y.) bucket.

• Henry Perkins (Albany, N.Y.) scored his first bucket with an exclamation mark, sinking the layup through contact and making his free throw for the three point play.

• Perkins displayed his court vision, spotting a cutting Gitz for the backdoor layup to put the Hawks up three at the halfway mark of the half.

• Three straight three pointers from the Wildcats put them in control for some time but the Hawks slowly worked their way back into the contest.

• The two teams would trade the lead back and forth as Thomas and Joey McLaurin (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) tied up the game before Poly was able to take control for the rest of the half.

• Bonin sank a three pointer early in the second half to pull the Hawks within one before the Wildcats were able to push away.

• The Hawks conceded a 17-3 run to the Wildcats as they worked to chip away the double digit deficit with 12 minutes remaining.

• Hartwick attempted to will their way back into the game, but Poly was able to stay ahead of the Hawks.

• Gitz led the charge with 15 points, Bonin connected for 14, Perkins poured in 13 and McLaurin collected 11 points.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will head back on the road for an Empire 8 tip-off against the Russell Sage Gators, set for Tuesday, January 28th at 7:30 PM. 

Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.